Health risk assessment for inorganic arsenic in seafood from a polluted lagoon in Italy

The exposure to inorganic As from seafood for the population (over 500.000) living nearby the polluted lagoon of Santa Gilla (Sardinia, Italy) was evaluated. The lagoon has been exposed since 1970's to the discharge of industrial and mining wastes, believed to be the main source of arsenic. The risk assessment was carried out according to the guideline recommended by US EPA (2000) for cancer and non-cancer toxicity. The results pointed out that inhabitants might be exposed to arsenic pollution with carcinogenic risks.